Fluidic module, device and method for aliquoting a liquid

Abstract

A fluidic module includes first and second measuring chambers, first and second fluid inlet channels connected to the first and second measuring chambers, respectively, and first and second fluid outlet channels connected to the first and second measuring chambers, respectively. Upon rotation of the fluidic module about a center of rotation, liquids are centrifugally driven into the first and second measuring chambers via the first and second fluid inlet channels, respectively, so that compressible media previously present within the first and second measuring chambers are compressed by the liquids driven into the first and second measuring chambers, respectively. Upon a reduction of the rotational frequency and upon an expansion, resulting therefrom, of the compressible media, the liquids present within the first and second measuring chambers are driven out of same via the first and second fluid outlet channels, respectively.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fluidic module comprising:
 a first measuring chamber and a second measuring chamber; 
 a first fluid inlet channel connected to the first measuring chamber and a second fluid inlet channel connected to the second measuring chamber; 
 a first fluid outlet channel connected to the first measuring chamber and a second fluid outlet channel connected to the second measuring chamber; 
 a first compression chamber and a second compression chamber, the first compression chamber and the first measuring chamber being connected to each other via a first fluid overflow, and the second compression chamber and the second measuring chamber being connected to each other via a second fluid overflow; 
 the fluidic module comprising a fluid manifold, the first fluid inlet channel and the second fluid inlet channel being connected to the fluid manifold; 
 wherein, the fluidic module being configured such that upon rotation of the fluidic module, a liquid is centrifugally driven into the first measuring chamber via the first fluid inlet channel and into the second measuring chamber via the second fluid inlet channel so that a compressible medium previously present within the first measuring chamber and within the second measuring chamber is compressed by the liquid driven into the first measuring chamber and into the second measuring chamber; 
 wherein, the fluidic module being configured such that upon a reduction of the rotational frequency and upon an expansion, resulting therefrom, of the compressible medium, the liquid present within the first measuring chamber is driven out of the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel, and the liquid present within the second measuring chamber is driven out of the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet channel; and 
 wherein, the fluidic module being configured such that upon the rotation of the fluidic module, the liquid is centrifugally driven into the first measuring chamber via the first fluid inlet channel and into the second measuring chamber via the second fluid inlet channel until liquid gets into a portion of the first compression chamber from the first measuring chamber via the first fluid overflow, in which portion it is separate from the liquid present within the first measuring chamber, and gets into a portion of the second compression chamber from the second measuring chamber via the second fluid overflow, in which portion it is separate from the liquid present within the second measuring chamber, and until a compression, caused by the liquid driven into the first measuring chamber, of a compressible medium previously present within the first measuring chamber, within the first compression chamber and within the first fluid overflow and a compression, caused by the liquid driven into the second measuring chamber, of a compressible medium previously present within the second measuring chamber, within the second compression chamber and within the second fluid overflow is sufficiently large so that upon a reduction of a rotational frequency and upon an expansion, resulting therefrom, of the compressible medium, the liquid present within the first measuring chamber is driven out of the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel, and the liquid present within the second measuring chamber is driven out of the second measuring chamber via the second fluid overflow. 
 
     
     
       2. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein fluidic resistances of the first fluid inlet channel and of the second fluid inlet channel are larger, due to the geometric configuration, than fluidic resistances of the first fluid outlet channel and of the second fluid outlet channel. 
     
     
       3. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a dimension of the first fluid inlet channel and of the second fluid inlet channel is smaller by at least a factor of five than a dimension of the first measuring chamber and of the second measuring chamber, and/or wherein a diameter of the first fluid outlet channel and of the second fluid outlet channel is smaller by at least a factor of five than a diameter or a diagonal of the first measuring chamber and of the second measuring chamber. 
     
     
       4. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic module being configured such that upon the rotation of the fluidic module, the liquid centrifugally driven into the first measuring chamber encompasses the compressible medium present within the first measuring chamber, within the first compression chamber and within the first fluid overflow, and the liquid centrifugally driven into the second measuring chamber encompasses the compressible medium present within the second measuring chamber, within the second compression chamber and within the second fluid overflow. 
     
     
       5. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic module being configured such that upon the rotation of the fluidic module, the amount of liquid centrifugally driven into the first measuring chamber and into the second measuring chamber is larger than that which can be accommodated by the first measuring chamber and the second measuring chamber, so that liquid gets into the first compression chamber from the first measuring chamber via the first fluid overflow and gets into the second compression chamber from the second measuring chamber via the second fluid overflow. 
     
     
       6. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic module being configured such that upon the reduction of the rotational frequency and upon the expansion, resulting therefrom, of the compressible medium, the liquid present within the first measuring chamber is driven out of the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel and the liquid present within the second measuring chamber is driven out of the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet channel for such time until at least part of an excess volume fraction of the compressible medium exits the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel and exits the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet channel. 
     
     
       7. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic module being configured such that upon the reduction of the rotational frequency, the liquid that has got into the first compression chamber remains within the first compression chamber and the liquid that has got into the second compression chamber remains within the second compression chamber. 
     
     
       8. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the fluidic module being configured such that upon the reduction of the rotational frequency, the liquid that has got into the first compression chamber remains within the first compression chamber and the liquid that has got into the second compression chamber remains within the second compression chamber, so that upon the reduction of the rotational frequency and upon the expansion, resulting therefrom, of the compressible medium, the liquid present within the first measuring chamber is driven out of the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel and the liquid present within the second measuring chamber is driven out of the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet channel for such time until at least part of an excess volume fraction of the compressible medium exits the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel and exits the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet channel. 
     
     
       9. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first and second fluid inlet channels and the first and second fluid outlet channels are configured such that upon the expansion of the compressible medium, an excess volume fraction, which results from the liquid remaining within the first and second compression chambers, of the compressible medium exits the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel and exits the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet channel in an amount of at least 70%. 
     
     
       10. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the fluidic module being configured such that upon the reduction of the rotational frequency, the liquid that has got into the first compression chamber remains within the first compression chamber and the liquid that has got into the second compression chamber remains within the second compression chamber, so that upon the reduction of the rotational frequency and upon the expansion, resulting therefrom, of the compressible medium, the liquid present within the first measuring chamber is driven, via the first fluid outlet channel, into a first chamber connected to the first fluid outlet channel, and the liquid present within the second measuring chamber is driven, via the second fluid outlet channel, into a second chamber connected to the second fluid outlet channel. 
     
     
       11. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first measuring chamber and the second measuring chamber are configured to each meter a volume of the liquid. 
     
     
       12. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first measuring chamber and the second measuring chamber are configured to each meter a volume of the liquid, wherein the first fluid overflow defines the volume metered by the first measuring chamber and the second fluid overflow defines the volume metered by the second measuring chamber. 
     
     
       13. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first measuring chamber comprises a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, and the second measuring chamber comprises a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, the first fluid inlet and the second fluid inlet being arranged radially further inward than are the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet, the first fluid inlet channel being connected to the first measuring chamber via the first fluid inlet, the second fluid inlet channel being connected to the second measuring chamber via the second fluid inlet, the first fluid outlet channel being connected to the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet, and the second fluid outlet channel being connected to the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet. 
     
     
       14. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid outlet is radially arranged at an outer end of the first measuring chamber and the second fluid outlet is radially arranged at an outer end of the second measuring chamber, and/or wherein the first fluid inlet is radially arranged at an inner end of the first measuring chamber and the second fluid inlet is radially arranged at an inner end of the second measuring chamber. 
     
     
       15. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first measuring chamber comprises a combined fluid inlet/fluid outlet and the second measuring chamber comprises a second combined fluid inlet/fluid outlet, the first fluid inlet channel and the first fluid outlet channel being connected to the first measuring chamber via the first combined fluid inlet/fluid outlet, and the second fluid inlet channel and the second fluid outlet channel being connected to the second measuring chamber via the second combined fluid inlet/fluid outlet; in the first and second combined fluid inlets/fluid outlets, the respective fluid outlet channel opens into the respective fluid inlet channel. 
     
     
       16. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid outlet channel and the second fluid outlet channel each comprise a siphon. 
     
     
       17. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein fluidic resistances of the first fluid outlet channel and of the second fluid outlet channel each are smaller than a sum of the fluidic resistances of the first fluid inlet channel and the second fluid inlet channel. 
     
     
       18. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid inlet channel and the second fluid inlet channel each comprise a fluidic resistance higher than that of the fluid manifold. 
     
     
       19. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the fluidic module comprising a fluid inlet connected to the fluid manifold via a fluid channel, the fluid channel comprising a fluidic resistance higher than that of the fluid manifold. 
     
     
       20. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic module being configured such that upon the rotation of the fluidic module, a first liquid is driven into the first measuring chamber and a second liquid is driven into the second measuring chamber, the first fluid outlet channel and the second fluid outlet channel being connected to a mixing chamber. 
     
     
       21. The fluidic module as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the first measuring chamber and the first compression chamber are arranged radially further inward than are the second measuring chamber and the second compression chamber. 
     
     
       22. A device for aliquoting a liquid, comprising:
 a fluidic module comprising: 
 a first measuring chamber and a second measuring chamber; 
 a first fluid inlet channel connected to the first measuring chamber and a second fluid inlet channel connected to the second measuring chamber; and 
 a first fluid outlet channel connected to the first measuring chamber and a second fluid outlet channel connected to the second measuring chamber; 
 the fluidic module being configured such that upon rotation of the fluidic module, a liquid is centrifugally driven into the first measuring chamber via the first fluid inlet channel and into the second measuring chamber via the second fluid inlet channel so that a compressible medium previously present within the first measuring chamber and within the second measuring chamber is compressed by the liquid driven into the first measuring chamber and into the second measuring chamber; 
 the fluidic module being configured such that upon a reduction of the rotational frequency and upon an expansion, resulting therefrom, of the compressible medium, the liquid present within the first measuring chamber is driven out of the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel, and the liquid present within the second measuring chamber is driven out of the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet channel; 
 the fluidic module comprising a fluid manifold, the first fluid inlet channel and the second fluid inlet channel being connected to the fluid manifold; 
 and 
 a drive; 
 the drive comprising a processor programmed to subject, in a first phase, the fluidic module to such a rotational frequency that liquid is centrifugally driven into the first measuring chamber via the first fluid inlet channel and into the second measuring chamber via the second fluid inlet channel, so that a compressible medium previously present within the first measuring chamber and within the second measuring chamber is compressed by the liquid driven into the first measuring chamber and into the second measuring chamber; and 
 the processor further programmed to reduce, in a second phase, the rotational frequency to which the fluidic module is subjected to such an extent that due to the reduction of the rotational frequency and to the expansion, resulting therefrom, of the compressible medium, the liquid present within the first measuring chamber is driven out of the first measuring chamber via the first fluid outlet channel, and the liquid present within the second measuring chamber is driven out of the second measuring chamber via the second fluid outlet channel.